Presidential Updates

Clif’s Notes for Aug. 2, 2022

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Today is election day.

I hope you will join me by putting the public affairs mission into practice and voting because it matters who we send to Jefferson City and Washington, D.C.

Remember that if you are a Greene County resident, you can vote at the Davis-Harrington Welcome Center.

When I began thinking about this note, I initially planned to talk about current candidates who have supported Missouri State in the past — whether through budget allocations or policies that directly impacted the university. As president of Missouri State, this is especially important to me when I am making my voting decisions.

As I thought about it more, I was reminded it’s not my job to provide guidance or influence. We each make our candidate selections based on measures that are important to us. That’s what a democracy is all about.

So today is a day when you have the opportunity to influence what happens in Missouri and in Washington. It’s a privilege we should all cherish.

Vote!

If you want to know how I voted and why, send me an email. I am happy to share.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State.

 

Clif’s Notes for July 19, 2022

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Last week Gov. Mike Parson was on campus to sign the Fast Track bill.

The Fast Track program was created in 2019. The program addresses workforce needs by helping adults pursue a certificate, degree or industry-recognized credential in an area designated as high need.

Fast Track is an important tool for educating non-traditional students. For students who qualify, the program can provide them with the opportunity to obtain a degree at little or no cost.

For our students who are working full-time, taking care of a family and managing a full slate of life responsibilities, this program can make the difference between getting by or earning a degree and getting ahead.

This year’s bill extended the sunset and made significant improvements to the Fast Track program. Improvements include increasing the number of eligible training providers and removing forgivable loan components, making Fast Track a true grant program.

I want to thank Gov. Parson for his leadership in renewing and improving the Fast Track program. I also want to thank Sen. Lincoln Hough for sponsoring this important bill and supporting students in need.

Many programs, priorities and projects funded this session

The Fast Track bill is just one example of the successes for higher education this legislative session.

Other examples include:

  • Fully funding state scholarship programs.
  • A 5.4% core funding increase for colleges and universities.
  • $31.5 million for MoExcels grants.
  • $460 million in capital projects at colleges and universities.

The state’s budget includes more than $40 million for projects on MSU’s Springfield and West Plains campuses.

This level of support for higher education would not have been possible without the leadership of Gov. Parson and our legislative delegation. I hope you will take the opportunity to thank them for their work.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for May 10, 2022

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Last week the legislature passed the state budget.

I am pleased to report that the budget includes funding for our top priorities:

  • A 5.4% core increase for MSU’s operations.
  • $30 million in capital funds for the Temple Hall project.
  • $2.55 million in capital funds for the JVIC braider project.
  • $1.25 million in capital funds for the hospital simulation training lab in West Plains.

The budget also includes $7.5 million in capital funds for a facility to house our ASCEND Program on the West Plains campus.

This was not a project we advocated for this year, but we are in the early planning stages for the facility. We will be happy to receive the funding and will be prepared to design and build the facility if Gov. Mike Parson signs the appropriation and releases the funds.

The budget also includes one-time funds to reimburse the increase in our MOSERS pension premium this year. This appropriation is important — it will allow me to present a balanced proposed budget to the Board of Governors when they meet next week.

The final stage in the state’s budget process is for Parson to sign or veto each appropriation before July 1.

Many advocate for MSU

This has been a very successful year in the state budget.

It would not have been possible without Parson including our priorities in his budget recommendations in January.

Sens. Hegeman, Hough, and Eslinger — along with many of our other friends in the House and Senate — worked tirelessly to maintain and supplement Parson’s recommendations throughout the process.

We owe all of them our sincere appreciation.

Session winding down

Next week is the last week of legislative session. Many policy bills are still under consideration.

These bills deal with financial aid, curricular and academic issues, campus policies and a variety of other matters critical to our operations at MSU.

We will remain engaged in the legislative process, advocating for MSU’s interests and priorities, as the General Assembly completes its work for the year.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for Feb. 2, 2021

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Last week Gov. Mike Parson delivered his State of the State Address and budget recommendations.

Gov. Parson’s proposed budget includes:

  • Full restoration of MSU’s $94 million operating appropriation and sources of funding.
  • Full funding for state scholarship programs.
  • $1.8 million in one-time funding through the MoExcels program to establish the Missouri Cybersecurity Center of Excellence at the Jordan Valley Innovation Center.
  • $50,000 in one-time start-up funding for an associate degree program in behavioral health support on our West Plains campus.

Legislative priorities

Gov. Parson’s proposed budget provides us with a great starting point in this year’s appropriations process.

Our top legislative priority this year is restoration of our core operating appropriation, and Gov. Parson’s recommendations include that priority. His budget also funds important student support, capital and academic needs on both of our campuses.

I hope you will join me in once again thanking Gov. Parson for his extraordinary support.

House begins work on budget

The House will now begin its work on the state’s budget. Our team has testified to the House appropriations subcommittee to advocate for the university’s priorities, and we have met with critical legislators who will form the state’s budget. We will continue to interact with lawmakers in the coming weeks and months.

COVID-19 updates

I am pleased to report that the university has administered 1,294 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

You can find updates on who is eligible to be vaccinated and information on whether the university currently has vaccine available on our COVID-19 vaccinations webpage. At present it does not appear we will receive additional vaccine from the state this week.

We have also updated our COVID-19 Information Center and dashboard. I would encourage you to take some time to review the information on those webpages, including the most up-to-date data about COVID-19 on our campus and the university’s response.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!

Clif’s Notes for May 26, 2020

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The Missouri legislative session ended earlier this month.

We advocated on many issues in the concluding weeks of the session. We worked on legislation that would have limited the Board of Governors’ ability to regulate the possession of firearms on campus.

We also worked on legislation that would have increased reporting requirements for universities, legislation designed to regulate academic credit for students who take advanced placement exams and numerous other bills.

None of this legislation — or any other legislation that would have substantially impacted our operations at Missouri State University — passed this year.

Thanks to our state legislators

Our team also advocated for Missouri State in the state budget.

The legislature passed a budget that holds core funding flat for all public universities. A portion of this funding is contingent on the federal government extending a Medicaid stimulus program. We will remain engaged with our federal leaders on this issue.

Passing a budget that includes flat funding for universities in the current economic environment was not an easy task. I want to say a special thanks to Sens. Dan Hegeman and Lincoln Hough, Reps. Elijah Haahr, Curtis Trent and Cody Smith, and our entire legislative delegation for supporting Missouri State in this difficult budget year.

State budget witholdings

The budget now moves to Gov. Mike Parson for his signature or veto.

You will recall that Parson announced a $7.6 million withhold for Missouri State in April. Additional withholds will likely occur before this fiscal year ends on June 30.

Parson has indicated the budget passed by the legislature for next fiscal year includes hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue that the state will not likely receive. We anticipate additional withholds being announced for next fiscal year to close this gap. Those withholds could occur as early as July.

We remain engaged with the governor and his staff to advocate that withholds be spread throughout state government and not disproportionately impact higher education.

Outlook of FY2021 budget

Despite uncertainty in state funding and enrollment, we must establish the university’s budget for next fiscal year.

The Board of Governors discussed the FY2021 budget at their meetings earlier this month.

The board approved a CPI increase of 2.3% in tuition and fees for the 2020-21 academic year. This increase, along with the tuition and fees waived last year, will generate $4.6 million in new revenue.

We also have $3.2 million in revenue carried forward from last year’s appropriation increase. Through $2.9 million in spending reductions that have already been implemented, we have more than offset our unavoidable expense increases for next fiscal year.

However, enrollment declines will have a dramatic impact on our budget. Before the pandemic, we anticipated a decline of 834 students due to the second year of large graduating classes. This decline alone will result in $5.9 million in reduced revenue, plus an additional $1.3 million in reduced auxiliary support.

We took several steps earlier this year to counteract this enrollment decline. We waived the application fee, joined the Common App, and implemented a series of recruitment and retention strategies.

Enrollment indicators showed that these strategies were working before the pandemic hit and the environment shifted. These same indicators have now become mixed, pointing to an anticipated enrollment decline that will likely exceed the projected 834 student drop.

This enrollment uncertainty, along with the likelihood of a state funding withhold, means we must further reduce expenses for the FY2021 budget.

Principles for FY2021 budget

The board approved principles that we will follow when developing the FY2021 budget.

Under these principles, we will utilize the following factors when evaluating all FY2021 cost savings options:

  1. Potential to generate substantial savings
  2. Impact on the university’s mission. Mission considerations include:
    • Academic quality and accreditation
    • Enrollment
    • Affordability
    • Student success
    • Student experience
    • Inclusive excellence
    • Public profile
  3. Impact on employees and workforce morale
  4. Impact on university risk and compliance
  5. Impact on university’s ability to generate revenue
  6. Improve efficiency and processes

The FY2021 budget will also include strategic investments to support revenue and the university’s mission. The overall need to generate substantial savings will be considered when evaluating all strategic investment options.

As always, we will use a transparent process that seeks input from stakeholders when developing this year’s budget.

Virtual Town Hall

Last week we held a Virtual Town Hall meeting to seek input from faculty and staff on the budget and other matters. If you missed the meeting, you can view the recording of the meeting on the town hall webpage.

Please send any input or questions about the FY2021 budget or any other matter to me at president@missouristate.edu.

Cost savings

At the board meeting and the town hall, we presented a budget scenario that we plan to modify and build upon in the coming weeks.

This scenario includes $10.2 million in new cost saving measures that will be incorporated in the FY2021 budget that I will present to the board in June.

These measures include:

  • Freezing 68 open positions (see my prior Clif’s Notes for details)
  • Eliminating internet incentives payments for faculty
  • Delaying the opening of the new residence hall
  • Reducing the operating budget allocation for facility repairs and classroom upgrades

We have additional cost saving measures that could be implemented after the board approves the budget. We would implement these measures only as necessary depending on the extent of our revenue decline.

These measures include:

  • Further reducing the operating budget allocation for facility repairs and classroom upgrades
  • Reducing operating budget allocations for academic equipment and the president’s enhancement fund
  • Reducing travel budgets
  • Spending $4 million in university reserves

Through these supplemental measures, we believe we can reduce expenses by an additional $6.5 million.

If our revenue declines by more than $16.7 million, we will then be forced to evaluate options for employee furloughs and/or layoffs.

Recognizing good work by faculty, staff, students

The board also discussed the university’s response to the coronavirus and our efforts to reopen the campus.

The board approved inductees into the university’s Wall of Fame. They will be inducted at a ceremony in October. This year’s inductees are:

  • Michael Carlie, professor of criminology
  • Dean Karen Horny, dean of libraries
  • Paul Kincaid, chief of staff
  • Marcia Morriset, assistant director of the Honors College
  • Howard Orms, professor of theatre and dance
  • Judi Smith, director, development and alumni

The board also offered commendations to outgoing leaders of SGA, Faculty Senate and Staff Senate. Leaders receiving commendations include:

  • Saibal Mitra, chair of Faculty Senate
  • A’dja Jones, chair of Staff Senate
  • Abdillahi Dirie, president of SGA
  • Ethan Schroeder, vice president of SGA

I want to say a special thanks to each of you. Our university is better because of your service, and I will miss working with you.

The board also approved action items related to campus facilities, including:

  • Documents necessary to close financing on the JVIC expansion project
  • An amendment to allow the university to delay receiving the new residence hall until next summer
  • A facilities use agreement to facilitate the national headquarters for the Student African American Brotherhood relocating to our campus
  • Wyrick fund expenditures approved by a student vote to combine the Multicultural Resource Center and the MRC Annex into one facility on the first floor of Plaster Student Union

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!